I don’t hide my light under a bushel, but I don’t go around setting the bushel afire either.”
–Mel Odom (Shooter’s Crossing)
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.”
–2 Timothy 2:20 (NKJV)
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“Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.” –Jude 11, NKJV
I want to look at Korah today, but before I do there is a question I want to ask. I often asked it in my classroom. Is everyone equal? I would get the nods, the affirmations, and some even became vocal saying, “of course we are.” I would then proceed to ask one of them to come up and teach my class. Once in a while one of them would venture forward and stand behind my podium with a smile on his face. Here is the lesson you are to teach: the Battle of Gettysburg. The smile left, and they would go back to their desk.
I ask again, is everyone equal? Are some not the head, while others the toe? Some are the neck, and others the leg. We all have our particular and specific place in the kingdom of God. Some are chosen to be a grand vase, others a pot in which to cook, while, gross as it may seem, some may be a chamber pot. It is up to the potter.
Before I go further, I will say that YES! all are equal before the Lord. We are made in His image, we have been given the dignity of mankind. However, all have not been given the same position. There is a movement today to equate the pastor with the parishioner. They are equal in God’s sight as His creation, but their office and calling are much different, therefore much responsibility is laid upon the pastor. Study the prophets and you will see that one of the major issues in Israel was the decline of the priesthood. As the pulpit goes, so goes the nation–so to speak.
Let’s look at Numbers 16. “Now Korah…rose up before Moses.” (1-2) He openly defied the leadership of Moses, the position in which God had placed him. He challenges Moses, and by doing that he challenges God. “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” (vs 4)
This shocked Moses, and he fell to his knees. Looking at Korah and his followers Moses spoke to them telling them that the challenge was wrong but it was accepted. It ended with the following result, “So the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the congregation, saying, “Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”‘ And he spoke to the congregation, saying, ‘Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.’ Now as it came to pass, as he [Moses] finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.” (Numbers 16:23-24,26,31-33, NKJV)
This isn’t all, those who were with Korah who carried censers, which was the duty of the priests faced a similar fate, “And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.” (16:35) This still isn’t the end of the story for the next day “the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘You have killed the people of the LORD.'” (16:41) These people had been so duped and deceived that even after seeing the hand of the Lord against Korah they still held on to their falseness. “Now who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident.” (vs 49)
No we are not all equal as far as position. We need to prepare ourselves so when the Lord calls we are ready to answer. We have the preparation to take up His divine calling, but we do not all have the same position or office. Even in the Millennial reign there will be some who rule over ten cities, some over five, and others over one. God knows what we can handle, He knows what He wants us to do. Our job is to answer His calling and recognize where we are in the Kingdom. Korah was not satisfied with his position and desired more–hmmm, sounds like Lucifer who wanted the throne.
Be thankful that God has called you by His grace. Be thankful to serve in whatever position He has placed you. And be careful about wanting to be higher than where you are, and try to usurp or undermine another’s position.
——————————
“Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.” –Jude 11, NKJV
I want to look at Korah today, but before I do there is a question I want to ask. I often asked it in my classroom. Is everyone equal? I would get the nods, the affirmations, and some even became vocal saying, “of course we are.” I would then proceed to ask one of them to come up and teach my class. Once in a while one of them would venture forward and stand behind my podium with a smile on his face. Here is the lesson you are to teach: the Battle of Gettysburg. The smile left, and they would go back to their desk.
I ask again, is everyone equal? Are some not the head, while others the toe? Some are the neck, and others the leg. We all have our particular and specific place in the kingdom of God. Some are chosen to be a grand vase, others a pot in which to cook, while, gross as it may seem, some may be a chamber pot. It is up to the potter.
Before I go further, I will say that YES! all are equal before the Lord. We are made in His image, we have been given the dignity of mankind. However, all have not been given the same position. There is a movement today to equate the pastor with the parishioner. They are equal in God’s sight as His creation, but their office and calling are much different, therefore much responsibility is laid upon the pastor. Study the prophets and you will see that one of the major issues in Israel was the decline of the priesthood. As the pulpit goes, so goes the nation–so to speak.
Let’s look at Numbers 16. “Now Korah…rose up before Moses.” (1-2) He openly defied the leadership of Moses, the position in which God had placed him. He challenges Moses, and by doing that he challenges God. “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” (vs 4)
This shocked Moses, and he fell to his knees. Looking at Korah and his followers Moses spoke to them telling them that the challenge was wrong but it was accepted. It ended with the following result, “So the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the congregation, saying, “Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”‘ And he spoke to the congregation, saying, ‘Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.’ Now as it came to pass, as he [Moses] finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.” (Numbers 16:23-24,26,31-33, NKJV)
This isn’t all, those who were with Korah who carried censers, which was the duty of the priests faced a similar fate, “And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.” (16:35) This still isn’t the end of the story for the next day “the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘You have killed the people of the LORD.'” (16:41) These people had been so duped and deceived that even after seeing the hand of the Lord against Korah they still held on to their falseness. “Now who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident.” (vs 49)
No we are not all equal as far as position. We need to prepare ourselves so when the Lord calls we are ready to answer. We have the preparation to take up His divine calling, but we do not all have the same position or office. Even in the Millennial reign there will be some who rule over ten cities, some over five, and others over one. God knows what we can handle, He knows what He wants us to do. Our job is to answer His calling and recognize where we are in the Kingdom. Korah was not satisfied with his position and desired more–hmmm, sounds like Lucifer who wanted the throne.
Be thankful that God has called you by His grace. Be thankful to serve in whatever position He has placed you. And be careful about wanting to be higher than where you are, and try to usurp or undermine another’s position.